Apparatus for compacting trash

ABSTRACT

This invention is a trash compacting process and apparatus wherein trash is placed in an elongated chamber having a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion. A packer forces the trash through the rectilinear portion and, upon movement through the rectilinear portion, frictional resistance to movement of the trash is increased, thereby causing compression of the trash. The amount of compression is controlled by an arm within the curvilinear portion which prevents longitudinal movement of the trash until a predetermined force is exerted thereon, at which time the arm automatically moves out of the path of movement of the compressed trash. The compressed trash is then pushed out of the chamber into a suitable container.

United States Patent White [15] 3,657,999 511 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR COMPACTING TRASH [72] Inventor: Lewis P. White, 3436 Brookwood Road,

3,039,383 6/1962 Windle et al ..100/240 3,134,321 5/1964 Loehnert ....l0O/98 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 81,895 1934 Sweden ..100/41 Primary ExaminerBilly J. Wilhite Attorney-Shlesinger, Arkwright & Garvey [57] ABSTRACT This invention is a trash compacting process and apparatus wherein trash is placed in an elongated chamber having a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion. A packer forces the trash through the rectilinear portion and, upon movement through the rectilinear portion, frictional resistance to movement of the trash is increased, thereby causing compression of the trash. The amount of compression is controlled by an arm within the curvilinear portion which prevents longitudinal movement of the trash until a predetermined force is exerted thereon, at which time the arm automatically moves out of the path of movement of the compressed trash. The compressed trash is then pushed out of the chamber into a suitable container.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 25 I972 3, 657, 999

SHEET 1 BF 2 Fig. 4 INVENTOR.

LEW/5 P. WHITE BY APPARATUS FOR COMPACTING TRASH OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a trash compactor of simple, economical construction, employinga minimum of parts, and capable of effecting compression of the trash during passage through the machine, the compacted trash being emitted from the machine in suitable condition for bagging.

Another-object is to provide anapparatus for compacting trash in an elongated chamber, the chamber including a rectilinear portion through which the trash is forced, and a curvilinear portion for receiving the trash from the rectilinear portion, the frictional resistance of the curvilinear portionto the passage of the trash, effecting compaction thereof prior to emission from the apparatus.

A further object is to providean apparatus of the character described, with the addition of means within the curvilinear portion to prevent passage of the trash therethrough until a predetermined compaction has built up, themeans including a gate extending across the curvilinear portion, the gate being automatically swung out of the path of movement of the trash after the predetermined compaction has been reached.

Other objects will be apparentfrom the following description of the presently preferred form of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES OF DRAWING FIG. 1. is a side elevational view present invention, a close details;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. Us a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the packer in operative position;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the packer in operative position, and the gate in open position, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7- 7 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The apparatus of the present invention includes an elongated open-ended chamber which includes a rectilinear portion 8 and a curvilinear portion 10, the chamber being preferably supported by a plurality of spaced legs 12 which are arranged in pairs and joined by connecting horizontal support members 14.

Rectilinear portion 8 is preferably substantially square in cross section, and comprises a top 16, a bottom 18 and sides 20. Top 16 is cut away to provide an opening 22, and a hopper 24 is fixed in any suitable manner to top 16 at the opening in order to facilitate depositing of trash interiorly of the rectilinear portion of the chamber.

A packer assembly 26 is mounted within the rectilinear portion 8 of the chamber. As shown in FIG. 3, packer assembly 26 includes spaced horizontal supports 28 which are suitably secured to sides 20, the supports being centrally connected by a vertical support 30.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a power cylinder 32is located within the rectilinear section, the aft end of the cylinder being provided with a pair of spaced ears 34, between which vertical support 30 fits. A pin 36 passes through openings in cars 34 and vertical support 30 to fixedly securethe cylinder to support 30.

Cylinder 32 is provided with a of the apparatus of the portion thereof being broken away to dispiston 38 for reciprocating movement in and out of cylinder 32, the free terminal of piston 38 being bifurcated to provide spaced cars 40.

Packer assembly 26 further includes a packer member which is connected to, and movable with, piston 38. The packer member includes a presser plate 42 at one end of the member, the member further including a top 44, a bottom 46 and sides 48 extending rearwardly from the presser plate. A central vertical support extends between top 44 and bottom 46, spaced ears 40 of piston 38 being adapted to receive support 50 therebetween. A pin 52 extends through aligned openings in cars 40 and vertical support 50 to effect connection of the piston to the presser member.

As shown in FIG. 3, top 44 is provided at each lateral edge with longitudinal strips 54 which are adapted to engage longitudinal guides 56 mounted along the interior of sides 20 from a point spaced from one end of the rectilinear portion to a point below the near edge of hopper 24. In this way, the longitudinal movement of the header member under urging of piston 38 is guided continuously through the piston stroke, to prevent any vertical movement of the packer member.

Beyond hopper 24, the rectilinear portion of the chamber is preferably reduced to provide a throat section 57 which is joined at 58 to the curvilinear section 10 of the chamber. The curvilinear section includes a top 60, a bottom 62 and sides 64.

The curvilinear section may be of any suitable configuration for providing a tortuous path for frictionally resisting movement of trash therethrough, thereby causing compaction thereof prior to being forced from the apparatus. A gradual curve of the configuration illustrated in the drawings has been found to give optimum results, the section beings so arranged that the compacted trash emerges from the curvilinear section at approximately a right angle to the axis of the rectilinear section of the chamber. A bag 66 may be placed over the end of the curvilinear section for receiving the trash as it comes from the apparatus.

It is a salient feature of the present invention to provide a ate assembly 68 for automatically preventing passage of the trash completely through the curvilinear section until after a predetermined compaction of the trash has taken place. After the trash has been compacted to the extent desired, then the gate assembly immediately swings to an inoperative position, and is not actuated unless and until the pressure of the trash within the curvilinear section falls below a predetermined level.

Gate assembly 68 includes a vertical standard 70, the terminals of which are rotatably mounted in supports 72 and 74 extending from the upper and lower limits of a side 64 of the curvilinear section. Arms 76 and 78 are fixed to the terminals of vertical standard 70, and are movable in an are upon rotation of the standard.

Intermediate its height, side 64 of the curvilinear section which is adjacent vertical standard 70 is provided with a longitudinal slot 80 having gussets 81. Proximate slot 80, a gate arm 82 is fixedly mounted on vertical shaft 70 and, upon rotation thereof, effects movement of gate arm 82 interiorly of the curvilinear section of the present apparatus, as shown to ad vantage in dotted lines in FIG. 2. As also shown in full lines in FIG. 2, rotation of the vertical standard and gate arm also effect movement of the latter to a point flush with the inside wall of side 64.

A wire rope or the like 84 is connected to the free end of arm 76 at 86, the rope extending rearwardly to the opposite side of the apparatus for engagement over a conventional pulley 88 joined to a support 9 Wire rope 84 is trained over pulley I88 and has fastened to the end thereof a weight or weights 92, the number of weights employed being added or subtracted to efi'ect the desired compaction of trash within the curvilinear section before the gate arm swings open.

OPERATION creased to the point where it overcomes the counter pressure of the weights 92 holding gate arm 82 in operative position across the curvilinear section. This effects rotation of vertical standard 70 and gate arm 82 to the inoperative position shown in full lines in FIG. 2.

configuration of a portion of the open-ended assembly through which the trash is forced in conjunction with the packer assembly, is effective for producing increased resistance to the passage of the trash therethrough, to cause compaction thereof. This compaction may be controlled 3O simply by changing the configuration to a more sinuous shape or to a construction embodying a sharper curve or curves.

The trash is then fed into hopper 24 in a well-known manner where it passes through opening 22 into the rectilinear section of the chamber.

The packer head assembly is next actuated to move piston This cycle is repeated again and again thereby forcing the trash into the curvilinear section where it meets added frictional resistance to the passage therethrough, due to the curvature thereof. Passage of the trash completely through the curvilinear section is prevented by gate arm 82. The repeated movement of trash into the curvilinear section by the packer assembly effects compaction of the trash, thereby gradually building up the pressure within the curvilinear section.

When the pressure within the curvilinear section is in- With the apparatus of the present invention, the curvilinear With the present invention, the degree of compaction is also controlled by adding or removing weights, thereby affecting the time at which gate arm 82 swings to the inoperative position.

While this invention has been described, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, used and/or adaptations of the invention following in general, the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A trash compactor comprising:

a. an elongated open-ended chamber,

b. said chamber including a rectilinear portion and a cur- 0 vilinear portion,

0. said rectilinear portion being provided with a top opening intermediate its length,

d. a hopper mounted on top of said rectilinear portion at the opening to facilitate depositing of trash to said chamber,

e. a packer head assembly mounted within said rectilinear portion of the chamber,

f. said packer head assembly including a cylinder positioned at one end of said rectilinear portion,

g. a piston reciprocally mounted in said cylinder,

h. a packer head member carried by an outer terminal of said piston,

i. said packer head member including a pressure plate movable longitudinally through said chamber for forcing trash therethrough,

j. the packer head member further including top, bottom and side members, one terminal each of which is fixed to an edge of said pressure plate and extends rearwardly of the chamber in sleeved relationship to said piston, and

k. a gate assembly positioned at the curvilinear section of said chamber,

1. said gate assembly including a vertical standard rotatably mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section,

m. an arm fixed to the upper terminal of said vertical standard, and rotatable therewith, 7

n. said curvilinear section being further provided with a longitudinal slot intermediate its height,

0. a gate arm fixed to said vertical standard intermediate its length and rotatable therewith,

p. said gate arm extending through the longitudinal slot of said curvilinear section,

q. a pulley mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section in opposed relationship to said vertical standard,

r. rope means connected at one terminal to said arm fixed to the vertical standard, said rope means being trained over said pulley,

. said gate assembly further including weights connected to the free terminal of said rope means,

. whereby said gate arm is normally rotated to a position across the interior of said curvilinear section, said gate arm being rotated to an inoperative position under force of trash moving through said curvilinear section, which force overcomes the force of said weights which act to normally rotate said gate arm.

2. A trash compactor comprising:

a. an elongated chamber,

b. said chamber including a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion,

0. means for supplying trash to the rectilinear portion of the chamber, I

d. power means for moving the trash longitudinally of the rectilinear portion to the curvilinear portion,

e. whereby the trash is compressed within the curvilinear portion by frictional pressure on the trash by the walls thereof,

f. gate means internally of said curvilinear section engageable with the trash to prevent passage therethrough,

g. said gate means including a vertical standard rotatably mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section,

h. an arm fixed to the upper terminal of said vertical standard and rotatable therewith,

i. said curvilinear section being further provided with a longitudinal slot intermediate its height,

j. a gate arm fixed to said vertical standard intennediate its length and rotatable therewith,

k. said gate arm extending through the longitudinal slot of said curvilinear section,

1. a pulley mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section in opposed relation to said vertical standard,

m. rope means connected at one terminal to said arm fixed to the vertical standard,

n. said rope means being trained over said pulley, and

o. weights connected to the free terminal of said rope means,

p. whereby said gate arm is normally rotated to a position across the interior of said curvilinear section, said gate arm being rotated to an inoperative position under force of trash moving through said curvilinear section, which force overcomes the force of said weight which acts to normally rotate said gate arm.

3. A trash compactor comprising:

a. an elongated chamber,

b. said chamber including a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion,

c. means for supplying trash to the rectilinear portion of the chamber,

d. power means for moving the trash longitudinally of the rectilinear portion to the curvilinear portion,

e. whereby the trash is compressed within the curvilinear portion by frictional pressure on the trash by the walls thereof,

f. gate means intermediate and interiorly of the curvilinear section of said elongated chamber,

g. said gate means being movably positioned in the path of trash with in the curvilinear section to restrict the flow of trash therethrough and effect additional compression of the trash with in the curvilinear section, and

h. means for selectively locating said gate means at varying points across the passage of said curvilinear section to impede to different degrees the flow of trash through the curvilinear section, thereby effecting the desired compac tion of the trash.

4. The trash compactor of claim 3 with the addition of:

a. means for automatically operating said gate means in response to the compression of the trash.

5. The trash compactor of claim 4 wherein:

a. said means for automatically operating said gate means in response to the compression of the trash includes means for normally urging said gate means to a fully operative position across the passage of said curvilinear section,

b. said means urging the gate means exerting a pre-determined pressure on trash within the chamber for impeding the passage of trash therethrough,

c. said gate means being moved to an inoperative position upon exertion of pressure thereon by the trash in excess of said means urging the gate means to an operative position.

6. The trash compactor of claim 3 wherein:

a. said "gate means includes a vertical standard rotatably mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section,

b. an arm fixed to the upper terminal of said vertical standard, and rotatable therewith,

c. said curvilinear section being further provided with a longitudinal slot intermediate its height,

(1. a gate arm fixed to said vertical standard intermediate its length, and rotatable therewith,

e. said gate arm extending through the longitudinal slot of said curvilinear section,

f. a pulley mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section in opposed relation to said vertical standard,

g. rope means connected to one terminal to said arm fixed to the vertical standard, said rope means being trained over said pulley, and

h. weights connected to the free terminal of said means,

i. whereby said gate arm is normally rotated to a position across the interior of said curvilinear section, said gate arm being rotated to an inoperative position under force of trash moving through said curvilinear section, which force overcomes the force of said weights which act to normally rotate said gate arm.

rope 

1. A trash compactor comprising: a. an elongated open-ended chamber, b. said chamber including a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion, c. said rectilinear portion being provided with a top opening intermediate its length, d. a hopper mounted on top of said rectilinear portion at the opening to facilitate dePositing of trash to said chamber, e. a packer head assembly mounted within said rectilinear portion of the chamber, f. said packer head assembly including a cylinder positioned at one end of said rectilinear portion, g. a piston reciprocally mounted in said cylinder, h. a packer head member carried by an outer terminal of said piston, i. said packer head member including a pressure plate movable longitudinally through said chamber for forcing trash therethrough, j. the packer head member further including top, bottom and side members, one terminal each of which is fixed to an edge of said pressure plate and extends rearwardly of the chamber in sleeved relationship to said piston, and k. a gate assembly positioned at the curvilinear section of said chamber, l. said gate assembly including a vertical standard rotatably mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section, m. an arm fixed to the upper terminal of said vertical standard, and rotatable therewith, n. said curvilinear section being further provided with a longitudinal slot intermediate its height, o. a gate arm fixed to said vertical standard intermediate its length and rotatable therewith, p. said gate arm extending through the longitudinal slot of said curvilinear section, q. a pulley mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section in opposed relationship to said vertical standard, r. rope means connected at one terminal to said arm fixed to the vertical standard, said rope means being trained over said pulley, s. said gate assembly further including weights connected to the free terminal of said rope means, t. whereby said gate arm is normally rotated to a position across the interior of said curvilinear section, said gate arm being rotated to an inoperative position under force of trash moving through said curvilinear section, which force overcomes the force of said weights which act to normally rotate said gate arm.
 2. A trash compactor comprising: a. an elongated chamber, b. said chamber including a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion, c. means for supplying trash to the rectilinear portion of the chamber, d. power means for moving the trash longitudinally of the rectilinear portion to the curvilinear portion, e. whereby the trash is compressed within the curvilinear portion by frictional pressure on the trash by the walls thereof, f. gate means internally of said curvilinear section engageable with the trash to prevent passage therethrough, g. said gate means including a vertical standard rotatably mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section, h. an arm fixed to the upper terminal of said vertical standard and rotatable therewith, i. said curvilinear section being further provided with a longitudinal slot intermediate its height, j. a gate arm fixed to said vertical standard intermediate its length and rotatable therewith, k. said gate arm extending through the longitudinal slot of said curvilinear section, l. a pulley mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section in opposed relation to said vertical standard, m. rope means connected at one terminal to said arm fixed to the vertical standard, n. said rope means being trained over said pulley, and o. weights connected to the free terminal of said rope means, p. whereby said gate arm is normally rotated to a position across the interior of said curvilinear section, said gate arm being rotated to an inoperative position under force of trash moving through said curvilinear section, which force overcomes the force of said weight which acts to normally rotate said gate arm.
 3. A trash compactor comprising: a. an elongated chamber, b. said chamber including a rectilinear portion and a curvilinear portion, c. means for supplying trash to the rectilinear portion of the chamber, d. power means for moving the trash longitudinally of the rectilinear portion to the curvilineaR portion, e. whereby the trash is compressed within the curvilinear portion by frictional pressure on the trash by the walls thereof, f. gate means intermediate and interiorly of the curvilinear section of said elongated chamber, g. said gate means being movably positioned in the path of trash with in the curvilinear section to restrict the flow of trash therethrough and effect additional compression of the trash with in the curvilinear section, and h. means for selectively locating said gate means at varying points across the passage of said curvilinear section to impede to different degrees the flow of trash through the curvilinear section, thereby effecting the desired compaction of the trash.
 4. The trash compactor of claim 3 with the addition of: a. means for automatically operating said gate means in response to the compression of the trash.
 5. The trash compactor of claim 4 wherein: a. said means for automatically operating said gate means in response to the compression of the trash includes means for normally urging said gate means to a fully operative position across the passage of said curvilinear section, b. said means urging the gate means exerting a pre-determined pressure on trash within the chamber for impeding the passage of trash therethrough, c. said gate means being moved to an inoperative position upon exertion of pressure thereon by the trash in excess of said means urging the gate means to an operative position.
 6. The trash compactor of claim 3 wherein: a. said gate means includes a vertical standard rotatably mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section, b. an arm fixed to the upper terminal of said vertical standard, and rotatable therewith, c. said curvilinear section being further provided with a longitudinal slot intermediate its height, d. a gate arm fixed to said vertical standard intermediate its length, and rotatable therewith, e. said gate arm extending through the longitudinal slot of said curvilinear section, f. a pulley mounted exteriorly of said curvilinear section in opposed relation to said vertical standard, g. rope means connected to one terminal to said arm fixed to the vertical standard, said rope means being trained over said pulley, and h. weights connected to the free terminal of said rope means, i. whereby said gate arm is normally rotated to a position across the interior of said curvilinear section, said gate arm being rotated to an inoperative position under force of trash moving through said curvilinear section, which force overcomes the force of said weights which act to normally rotate said gate arm. 